This was sent to me by a retiring GP with first hand experience of the effect that this charity has on peoples' lives...

These are her words, not mine:

This charity does what nothing else does - it delivers life changing funds, fast, when needed.

When you are homeless you have no deposit for a bedsit much less anything to go in it. I have seen a teenager with huge mental health issues left in a room with no light bulb, chair, bed cooker or money... their only solution to eating and staying warm was to get banged up! State benefits are a 6 week wait and the forms baffle and take hours to complete. Give up, stay or become street homeless!

It helps the person helping too! Imagine being in a 10 minute appointment and facing someone with frostbite. They need a benefits form completing, but that will take you 15 minutes you haven’t got, and the money will arrive too late to prevent a 6 week hospital admission. Heartsink.

This charity? No 6 week wait, no huge stack of evidence, no form that takes hours. From across the land I (and other teachers, priests, health visitors, social workers, doctors....) can fill in a very simple form, (with an official stamp ) saying what someone needs to survive (deposit for a flat; new boots; a chair..) and why. Within 48 hours the money will be available to stop that person being homeless, to help. It is simple, quick to do, quick in delivery, and it changes lives.

The Fund works. And 48 hours is amazing!

Please support St Martin in the Fields (oh, and if you are visiting eat in their crypt! soup + pudding is a favourite and also supports the fund!)